This story is part of our continuing coverage of CES 2020, including tech and gadgets from the showroom floor.
Each year, thousand of companies feature innovative tech gadgets at CES, and CES 2020 has staged some of the coolest tech so far. From sex tech to realistic robots to computer peripherals, the trade show has something for just about everyone. But, some of the best new products are in the smart home category. The smart home team at Digital Trends voted on the best smart home tech at CES 2020, and here’s what we selected.
Lockly Vision Smart Lock
Lockly is known for its high tech smart locks that have advanced features like fingerprint sensor technology, a touchscreen keypad that moves the numbers for added security, app control, voice control, and temporary codes for guest access.
Lockly’s new Vision Smart Lock adds in a built-in video doorbell, so you can see real-time video of your porch in the Lockly app, and you can even save videos locally to the cloud. You can also take advantage of the two-way talk feature to speak to your guests via the app whether you’re sitting on your couch, or if you’re miles away from home. Lockly Vision has a suggested retail price of $399.
Abode Security Camera and/or Video Doorbell
Abode featured a camera that’s small in size, but big on features. Although it’s only about half the size of a deck of cards, the camera can function as either a video doorbell or a security camera. You can use the camera indoors or outdoors, and it provides 1080p video with a wide 152-degree field of view.
Another cool thing about the camera is that it features Abode’s Cue automation functionality. The camera can detect faces, and you can manage a database of faces the camera detects for better notification sensitivity and overall increased security. The Abode camera is expected to sell for $199.
Trifo Lucy Robot Vacuum and Surveillance System
Lucy combines a robot vacuum and a home security system into one smart home product. It cleans your floors while you sit back and chill, but it also includes day and night surveillance cameras so it can patrol your home. It has a 1080P HDR color camera and an active depth sensor for night vision. And, while these cameras can be used for surveillance, they also help the robot vac to detect obstacles in its cleaning path. Using proprietary 3D geometry and 3D semantics algorithms, it can avoid small obstacles like slippers, socks, and even pet accidents.
Aquifer Refine Water Purification and Leak Detection System
Aquifer Refine is a Wi-Fi-connected system that goes under your kitchen sink, and filters out contaminants like lead, mercury, and some pharmaceuticals. But, in addition to providing water purification, it also has a leak detection feature, which alerts you with an alarm in the event of a potential leak. Since it’s Wi-Fi-enabled, it can give you notifications for things like filter life, and you can even connect it with Amazon Dash so you can automatically have new filters sent to you. The Aquifer Refine system is expected to sell for $600 this summer.
Kohler Touchless Toilets
Although Kohler has dabbled in this area before, we really liked Kohler’s CES toilet offerings this year. This year’s toilets include a sensor for touchless control, a physical handle, and a color-changing nightlight. In the Kohler Konnect app, you can change the nightlight color and adjust the sensitivity of the sensor. So, with just a wave of your hand, you can flush your toilet, so you don’t have to touch a germ-covered toilet handle.
LIFX Control Switch 4-Gang Smart Light Switch
Lifx is known for its lighting innovations, from its artistic panels to smart bulbs. At CES 2020, the company introduced several new lighting products, including Edison bulbs, smart candles, and 360-degree light strips you can put around the back of your television. However, we feel the most notable product Lifx had to offer was its Lifx Control Switch.
The Lifx control switch is a four-gang switch that’s designed for easy use, setup, and installation. You can use it to control both smart and dumb lights. You can expect to see it on sale for around $120.
Yummly Smart Thermometer
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Whirlpool’s recipe app, Yummly, unveiled its smart thermometer at CES 2020. The thermometer communicates with Whirlpool connected ovens, and it allows you to track cooking progress on your phone, so you can see in real time when your food is ready. No more getting up to check on meals.
It uses temperature sensors to monitor the temperature of the food and the oven temperature, so you can track your food throughout the cooking process. It can monitor the internal temps of meats like chicken, roasts, and more. In the app, you can indicate cooking settings, like for how long you want your food to cook and at what temperature. The thermometer should be available in early 2020 for an estimated price of $129.
C by GE Three Wire Smart Light Switches (no hub or neutral wire needed)
Smart light switches make life easier because you can just say, “Alexa, turn on the light,” you can set routines to have your lights turn on and off when you want, and you can get these smart features with any old dumb bulbs. You don’t have to purchase new smart light bulbs when the juice runs out. The only problem with smart light switches is that they’re a major pain to install, and most smart light switches require a neutral wire. The switches that don’t use a neutral wire often require a hub, and they’re typically on the higher end of the price spectrum.
An Innovation Award honoree, GE’s new three-wire light switches are extremely easy to install, and they don’t require a hub or a neutral wire. You can schedule the lights or control them remotely from the GE app, and they’re compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa and Google Home for voice control and routines. Plus, they’re priced at only $40.
Sunflower Home Security System
The Sunflower Home Security System comes with a $10,000 price tag, but it kind of feels like something out of a sci-fi movie. It has a “Bee” drone that watches your property, complete with GPS and collision avoidance technology. The Bee drone comes with a “Hive,” which is a charging station that keeps it protected from the elements. The Hive is waterproof, and it contains the system’s A.I. brain.
The system includes “Sunflowers,” which you can inconspicuously place around your property. The Sunflowers detect motion, and can differentiate between cars, animals, and people. In the app, you can do things like check out a real-time heat map of activity.
10Minds Motion Pillow 2 for Snoring
A 2020 innovation award winner, the 10Minds Motion Pillow 2 uses a patented Sleep Pressure Monitoring System to help stop snoring. The first iteration of the pillow was featured at CES last year, and this year’s show featured the new version.
The memory foam pillow comes with a solution box, which plugs into the pillow. The solution box analyzes snoring patterns. So, when you snore, it pumps air into the pillow to adjust the pillow’s height by up to three inches. The solution box also monitors your head position and breathing patterns to determine the best pillow shape to provide. You can buy the pillow for $378 on Amazon.
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